16/03/2026
FOREIGN PASSENGER NABBED AT NAIA WITH ₱28M WORTH OF SHABU
A foreign passenger was arrested at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) after authorities discovered more than four kilograms of suspected shabu concealed in her luggage during an inspection at the arrival area of NAIA Terminal 3 in Pasay City on March 14, 2026.
The operation stemmed from a routine baggage screening when airport authorities flagged a suspicious image inside a beige-colored suitcase belonging to a 48-year-old Croatian national arriving from Johannesburg, South Africa, with a connecting flight through Hong Kong.
Acting on the alert, operatives from the PNP Aviation Security units and partner agencies immediately conducted further verification.
A K9 narcotics detection dog later confirmed the possible presence of illegal drugs in the luggage. Upon inspection, authorities discovered three improvised pouches wrapped in black duct tape hidden inside a false compartment of the suitcase. The packages contained white crystalline substances that tested positive for methamphetamine hydrochloride, commonly known as shabu.
The seized illegal drugs weighed more or less 4,156 grams with an estimated standard drug price of ₱28,260,800.00.
The suspect, who was traveling alone, was immediately placed under arrest and informed of her constitutional rights. She is now under police custody and will face charges for violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act.
Chief PNP, Police General Jose Melencio C. Nartatez Jr., commended the operating units and emphasized the importance of sustained vigilance at the country’s ports of entry.
“Ang ating mga paliparan ay hindi dapat maging daanan ng ilegal na droga. Our personnel remain alert and coordinated with partner agencies to stop drug trafficking before it reaches our communities,” PGEN Nartatez said.
“Malinaw ang mensahe natin: anyone who attempts to smuggle illegal drugs into the country will be intercepted and held accountable. We will continue strengthening airport security operations to protect the public,” he added.
The operation forms part of the intensified anti-drug campaign of the Philippine National Police under the PNP Focused Agenda, particularly through Enhanced Managing Police Operations, in support of the broader directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to strengthen border security and suppress transnational drug trafficking.
The suspect and the confiscated evidence remain under the custody of authorities for documentation and the filing of appropriate charges as the PNP continues to intensify its anti-drug efforts under the banner of Bagong PNP para sa Bagong Pilipinas: Serbisyong Mabilis, Tapat at Nararamdaman.
(PNP-PIO)